Council agrees to move forward with plan but wull have say before money is spent
The Flomaton Town Council voted unanimously to move forward with a Form Base Code for the town with the understanding that if at any point the council has to allocate funds the issue will come back to the council table for a vote.
Mayor Dewey Bondurant Jr., assured the council that John Robert Smith will work with an advisory team of Tucson Atlantic to help develop the Form Base Code at no cost to the town. Smith and the team from Tucson Atlantic will secure the necessary funds from state and regional partners in order to create the code for the town of Flomaton.
It was also noted that the town council will have the final say on any code adopted.
Councilman Buster Crapps said he wanted some guarantees that it would be free, noting the town had already spent $3,000. The council approved the $3,000 to have Smith come to Flomaton to not only survey the town but hold meetings with the public about Form Based Code.
“Alabama Power and ADECA will help pay for Form Base Code,” Bondurant said. “It's free.”
Crapps said he would go along with it but noted its next to zoning and wanted to make sure everybody was treated equally.
Bondurant said after the code is developed and the council makes any changes it feels are necessary, it will be turned over the retail developers to raise money and get those developers to come to Flomaton.
“When it comes across the board and it costs a nickel, we'll have to look at it,” said Councilman Charlie Reardon.
Councilman Roger Adkinson said it sounded to him that the town would be writing the code with their guidance. Mayor Bondurant said they would write the code for the town, but the town would have the final say before the code is adopted.
“Smith said they would come in and write the code for us at no cost,” Bondurant said.
But Bondurant added that the council will have a say in what's in and what's not in the code.
“I want to see it in black and white and before we sign anything, I want our legal department to look at it,” Reardon said.
“I personally think we can vote to do this,” Adkinson said. “But before anything else happens there needs to be more understanding. If they are going to give it to us, they should put it in writing. I think we are kidding ourselves if we think this is all going to be free.”
“It's foolish to turn it down, but it's foolish to think it's going to be free,” Adkinson added.
Reardon noted the town has some things it can't take care of now and wants to make sure it won't cost the town more money for the code.
Adkinson also noted he wanted to be up front with the people of Flomaton, noting that while Form Base Code is not zoning, it's zoning in a different way.
“I don't want the people to be misled,” Adkinson said. “If you want to put a business here, it has to conform to what we want it to look like. It is a form of zoning. It will cost us money, but we'll get that money back. I think it's good.”
The council voted unanimously to begin the process of developing the Form Base Code for Flomaton with Town Attorney Chuck Johns to approve the steps.
